Ocean FM News Reports

People in the north west who are certified as medically unfit to drive for a year or more will now be able to apply for a free travel pass. It is the first time a pass has been available to those not in receipt of a pension or qualifying social welfare payment. The scheme, announced as part of Budget 2024, allows eligible people to access free travel on all public transport provided by the State,...

The Prison Officers Association has condemned an arson attack on a prison officer’s home. The attack occurred last night and has been described as “sinister in nature” and could have led to the loss of life. It is believed to have been a targeted incident, with the government now being called upon to provide immediate intervention. Gabriel Keaveny, Deputy General Secretary of the Prison Officers A...

The supercar event Cannonball will be coming to Leitrim this year. The show will be taking a pit-stop on Sunday, September 8th at 1pm at Lough Rynn Castle. Cannonball is the largest organised road trip in Europe featuring 200 supercars, and attracts over 200,000 spectators with family free events, while raising money for Irish charities. Alan Bannon, founder of Cannonball, spoke about the event an...

Despite fears over safety issues at Clarke’s Bridge junction on the N17, there are no immediate plans for the development of a roundabout at the location. Sligo County Council contacted Transport Infrastructure Ireland regarding the situation, but the TII said it does not meet the criteria for a high collision location. Ballymote-Tubbercurry Fine Gael Cllr Dara Mulvey highlighted the huge volume o...

Mayo Fine Gael TD Michael Ring has announced that he will not contest the next general election.   Deputy Ring was first elected to the Dáil in 1994 as part of a by-election and would go on to retain his seat for the next 30 years.   A former Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring is the 15th sitting TD from the Fine Gael party who will not put their name forward for t...

Warnings have been issued over the use of E-scooters in both rural and urban areas throughout county Sligo. Sligo-Strandhill Councillor Arthur Gibbons has expressed concern after three teenagers have lost their lives on e-scooters in recent weeks while several others have been left with serious injuries. The Sinn Féin Councillor is calling for Gardaí to be given more power in policing the vehicles...

Donegal County Council has offered to close off a car park at the Bank of Ireland on Sundays to provide space for bikers in Donegal town. This was a solution suggested today at the meeting of Biker representatives and Donegal County Council. Bikers have traditionally stopped on the Diamond on Sundays and are regarded as big contributors to the local economy. Brian Cannon, who is a biker and attend...

Listen back to the 2024 ZuCar LGFA All-Ireland minor football final between Sligo and Tyrone, at Brewster Park in Enniskillen. Match commentary from Ray Lannon and Nikki Brennan.

Locals in Ballincarrow have sought for a redevelopment of a junction to be scrapped. There have been long-running issues in relation to speed travelling through the village, which is where residents see the priority of roads funding should be. With major developments such as a bypass being at least ten years away, safety measures have been called for to curve the amount of motorists speeding in th...

It has been revealed that Ireland now has the second-highest excise tax rate on drinks and hospitality in Europe. A recent survey carried out by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland shows that Ireland is second only to Finland when it comes to paying excise duty on drinks. It was found that Ireland pays 3,458 euro in excise duty per 100 litres of alcohol sold. Speaking to Ocean FM News, local rest...

Questions remain over inadequate neurology cover at Letterkenny University Hospital. Earlier this year, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland launched a support campaign targeting elected representatives on the matter. It's estimated that the waiting time for a first-time appointment to see the neurologist at the facility is around 18 months. As a result, many have been forced to seek appointments...

A Sligo Cllr has criticised the County Council over their refusal to prioritise safety improvements on a local road. Following two fatalities on the R290 between Kilross and Castle Dargan at Dunamurray, Cllr Thomas Walsh requested an application for funding to upgrade the road. The council's response was that due to the complexity and size of the project, it would fall under a scheme that already...

Calls have been made locally for the underfunding of the pharmacy sector to be addressed. In its pre-budget submission, the Irish Pharmacy Union say pharmacists are being paid less than they were twenty years ago. IPU President and Donegal-based Tom Murray says the sector is seriously close to becoming unviable based on a variety of issues such as inadequate margins. Tom Murray says patients belie...

A new Government scheme aimed at young fishermen has been described as both reckless and irresponsible. The Young Fisher Scheme provides grant aid of up to 40% for people under age 40 to buy their first fishing vessel. However, costs will still amount to around 290,000 euro to get a boat ready to go to sea, which paired with issues surrounding quotas, is another factor for fishermen to contend wit...

Ocean FM Sport pays a visit to Mona McSharry's home village of Grange in north Sligo, ahead of Monday evening's Olympic 100m breaststroke final in Paris.

The Irish flag is to be raised at the City Hall in Sligo today in honour of the county's four Olympians. Boxer Dean Clancy, swimmer Mona McSharry, and athletes Chris O'Donnell and Lauren Cadden are all part of the biggest team Ireland have ever sent to the Olympic games. McSharry competes in the final of the 100m breastroke this evening, while there was disappointment for Clancy over the weekend,...

Sligo's Mercedes Taaffe-Cooper developed a big reputation as a champion kickboxer - and coach to several elite boxers. Now living in Australia, she works as a psychologist and has developed the 'Counterpunch' programme, which combines the sport of boxing with psychology to help teenagers develop their own lifeskills, particularly those who may need behavioural intervention. Merc, as she's better k...

Sligo LGFA minor gaelic footballers reflect on Saturday's historic 1-13 to 0-7 All-Ireland 'B' final success against Tyrone which secured a first-ever All-Ireland title for the county. Reaction here from players and management, beginning with Sligo's midfield maestro, Cara King.

Hundreds gathered at St. Anne’s Church in Sligo on Saturday afternoon for the funeral mass of Very Reverand Fr. Dominic Gillooly.   Fr. Gillooly, originally from Mount Cashel in county Roscommon passed away on Monday at Sligo University Hospital.   Fr. Gillooly served the local community for 41 years.   He retired in 2015 but remained on at St. Anne’s serving as curate.   In a...

It's emerged that over thirty chicks of endangered bird species are to be released into the wild in the north west after a successful breeding initiative. Among those, is the curlew, who's population in Ireland has declined by 98% over the past 30 years. Co-funded by the Department of Agriculture and NPWS, the project, entitled 'Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership' saw curlew eggs coll...

The Sligo Chair of the IFA has reviewed the importance of Farm Safety Week as it concludes today. The initiative is run by the Irish Farmers Association with the intention of raising awareness around safety issues on farms. The agriculture sector amounts up to 50% of workplace fatalities, due to the various hazards faced in the line of work. Michael O’Dowd says it’s important to stay mindful of th...

The lack of high-powered charging points for electric vehicles in the North West has been criticised by a local Cllr. A new rollout will see 131 charging stations across the motorway network, excluding Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. Sligo-Drumcliffe Independent Cllr Marie Casserly highlighted that a number of issues are discouraging locals from buying electric vehicles. Cllr Casserly says there are p...

There's a planned change to the road network in south Donegal.   The proposed development involves installing a roundabout on the N15 at the Laghey junction.   The project has been in the pipeline for some time with design and other works already completed.   Donegal County Council is hosting an information evening to inform and provide details Tuesday 30th July from 4pm to 8pm at L...

Calls have been made in Leitrim to determine the amount of local land ownership, and the impact it has on the local economy. Concerns have been raised over the amount of money that leaves the county, due to land being owned externally and used for non-agricultural means, such as forestry. Independent Manorhamilton Cllr Eddie Mitchell highlighted the consequences at a recent county council meeting....

The local Fine Gael contest for the next General Election is starting to heat up.   Nominations for the party's selection convention are set to open shortly and a number of hopefuls have already expressed their intentions to seek nomination.   The party's selection convention in Sligo/Leitrim is set to take place on September 1st.   Sitting Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan has already con...